If you say that something or someone is ameal ticket, you mean that they provide a person with money or a lifestyle which they would not otherwise have.
His chosen field was unlikely to be a meal ticket for life.
I don't intend to be a meal-ticket for anyone.
meal ticket in British English
noun
slang
a person, situation, etc, providing a source of livelihood or income
Word origin
from original US sense of ticket entitling holder to a meal
meal ticket in American English
US
1.
a ticket entitling the holder to a specified value in meals at a particular restaurant
2. Slang
a person, job, skill, etc. that one depends on as one's means of support
Examples of 'meal ticket' in a sentence
meal ticket
No one gave us a free meal ticket after two games.